More charges for suspect in Pinellas crime spree

Additional burglary charges were filed Wednesday against a Pinellas Park man arrested the day before in a series of armed robberies in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Michael Roger Bourdeau, 45, of 8015 73rd St. N., Lot 196, was accused Tuesday of carrying out at least four armed robberies over the previous two days in Oldsmar, Largo and Clearwater.

Clearwater police said Wednesday he was also being charged in the April 6 burglaries at Frenchy's South Beach, 351 S. Gulfview Blvd, and French's Salt Water, 419 Poinsettia Ave.

Those charges come a day after he was arrested while attempting to flee deputies in a stolen Mercury Grand Marquis, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Mercury was found in the parking lot of Coastal Plaza in Dunedin. Bourdeau was seen exiting a store and entering the vehicle, said deputies, who then attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Bourdeau rammed his car into a deputy cruiser.

Deputies used the PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle and apprehended Bourdeau.

Investigators from multiple agencies have connected Bourdeau to these incidents:

Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, he entered the Sun Country Cleaners, 3205 Tampa Road, Oldsmar, with a knife, Pinellas deputies said. He demanded money from the clerk, and after receiving cash, fled in the gold Grand Marquis.

At 2:43 p.m, Monday, Bourdeau entered Off the Rack, 7500 Ulmerton Road, and displayed a knife to an employee and demanded cash, Largo police said. The man was provided an undisclosed amount of cash and left the scene, police said.

At 12:24 p.m. Tuesday, he entered the BP gas station at 6915 Ulmerton Road, displayed a knife and demanded cash from a store employee, Largo police said. The robber was given an undisclosed amount of cash and left the scene, police said.

According to the Pinellas jail website, Bourdeau was charged with five counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault with a vehicle, resisting an officer with violence, fleeing and eluding a police officer, three counts of burglary, carrying a concealed weapon and two counts of forgery.

On March 30, he was arrested on a possession of cocaine charge and released a day later on his own recognizance, according to the jail website.

Additional charges of armed robbery have been issued by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, officials said.